Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM's speech on the occasion of the inauguration of Bogibeel Bridge in Assam
On stage Professor Jagdish Mukhi ji, the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ji, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu ji, brother Hemant Vishwa Sharma ji, my cabinet colleague brother Rajen Gohain ji, all the other dignitaries present on the stage and my dear brothers and sisters.
I am really grateful for you all have come in such large numbers to shower your blessings on me. This day is historic for the entire Northeastern India. I congratulate you all for the country's longest road rail bridge.
I have just been from the bridge and I am extremely delighted!
Friends,
Today the entire world is celebrating Christmas. My best wishes to the Northeast including Assam and to the entire country for Christmas. I salute Swargadeo Chaolung Sukaphaa who was dedicated to the Ahom community. I also pay my tribute to the several brave men and brave women like Lachit Borphukan, Bir Chilarai, Swargadeo Sarbananda Singha, Birangana Sati Sadhani, Bodosa, Bir Raghav Moran, Manik Raja, Sati Joymoti and Sati Radhika who symbolize bravery and sacrifice.
Many people had made contributions since the days of freedom struggle till rebuilding Assam and India. I submit my 'Karyanjali' to every personality from politics to social service, education, science & technology and sports who have made Assam and the country proud.
I also pay tribute to Assam's Nightingale Padma Shri Dipali Barthakur ji. With her demise, we have lost a voice that has helped the people of Assam to reach out to numerous places across the country and abroad.
Friends,
Today is also the birth anniversary of one of the greatest personalities dedicated to good governance of the country and our most beloved Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Today Atal ji's birth anniversary is being celebrated as the good governance day throughout the country.
Brothers and sisters,
Good governance means concern for the people. It is the culture of improving the life of the common man. Good governance moves towards 'Surajya' when decisions are taken for a better future of the country and the society by rising above self-interests and all the systems and instruments for a better life are created. Good governance moves towards 'Surajya' when work is done with the mantra of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' and the emphasis is upon a balanced development of the country. Friends, for the last four and a half years, the central government, and now the government of Assam and the government of Arunachal Pradesh have been making relentless efforts in the same direction. I am glad that on this auspicious day, we all are present here on the inauguration ceremony of the great symbol of good governance, this historic Bogibeel Rail road bridge. This is the country's longest Rail cum Road Bridge. This is the country's first bridge made completely of steel. This bridge, constructed at a height of more than 30 meters above the water, showcases our engineering and technological capabilities. This bridge that can handle both the speed and the load of the train will strengthen the country's strategic power as well.
Brothers and sisters,
This is not just a bridge but a lifeline connecting the lives of the people of this region. This has reduced the distance between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Now the train journey between Itanagar and Dibrugarh has reduced from 700 km to less than 200km. The train journey used to take around 24 hours before. Now it will take only 5-6 hours. This 5 km long bridge has not only reduced the distance between Assam's Tinsukia and Arunachal Pradesh's Naharlagun but has also liberated the people from various difficulties and has made their lives easier.
I was told that earlier the people of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and other districts of Arunachal Pradesh had to cross Brahmaputra with boats otheriwise it used to take an entire day to travel by rail or road and had to change several trains. Brothers and sisters, the train that was flagged off today is a direct train with 14 coaches. This train will bring an unprecedented change in the entire region. This dream that has taken generations to get fulfilled has finally been fulfilled. Now the people of this region are not required to travel to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru via Guwahati. Dibrugarh is a major center in terms of education, income and business. Visiting this place is a major requirement for the people. And you all know how, especially in case of a serious ailment, long journeys can become fatal to the patient.
Friends,
Now the facilities such as Dibrugarh Medical College, hospital and University are now available to the people residing in North Bank at a distance of few minutes. I congratulate you all, the people of Northeast and the entire country for this major provision.
I want to thank all the engineers and workers associated with the construction of this bridge who had worked day in and day out under difficult circumstances. Many congratulations to you all!
Brothers and sisters,
This is a day of double celebrations for the people of Assam and Northeast because the country's largest road bridge and rail road bridge, both are in Assam. The central government led by Bharatiya Janta Party is fortunate that we got the opportunity to complete the two most important infrastructure related projects of the country.
Last year in the month of May, I had visited Sadiya to launch the Bhupen Hazarika bridge. Today I am in Bogibeel with all of you. Brothers and sisters, in the last four and a half years, this is the third bridge constructed over Brahmaputra. In 60-70 years of independence, 3 bridges were constructed over Brahmaputra. We too have constructed 3 bridges over Brahmaputra but just within the last four and a half years. And the work of construction of 5 new bridges is under progress. After the completion of these bridges the connectivity between the north and the south banks of the Brahmaputra will improve and a new chapter will also be written in the field of food, industry and business.
Friends,
This is good governance. We are moving towards 'Surajya'. Today we can say with conviction that this pace of development will transform the image of the Northeast along with that of Assam.
Brothers and sisters,
Probably, there are people here today who might have come here 16 years back when Atal ji had visited this place. Since then, an entire generation has changed. You really had to wait for a long time patiently. Friends, after your age-old demand, the work on this bridge had started two decades ago. The fact is that the work could begin only under the initiative of Atal Ji. But unfortunately, in 2004, his government went out of power and like various other projects, this important project of Northeast India too was in a limbo after that.
Brothers and sisters,
You all are witnesses to the condition of the bridge in 2014. Nothing could be seen apart from a few incomplete pillars. When we got elected in 2014, this project of the bridge remained more than 50% incomplete. There is no doubt about the fact that had Atal ji's government stayed in power, this bridge would have been inaugurated by 2007-2008. But the government that came to power at the centre did not pay any heed to your needs.
After the formation of the government in 2014, we removed all the obstacles in the way of this project, accelerated the work and now this Bogibeel bridge constructed at cost of Rs.6000 crores has been dedicated to serve the people. Today, on the birth anniversary of Atal ji, the grateful nation has paid tribute to him by fulfilling one of his dreams. Wherever he is, his soul will be at peace now as the people of Northeast receive this gift. Atal ji’s soul will be elated to see the happiness on your faces.
Friends,
The previous government was known for its stuck projects while our government is known for bringing about a transformation with transportation and is known by the next generation infrastructure that the nation is receiving.
We have found out projects worth more than Rs.12 lakh that had been in a limbo for several years or the work was progressing at a snail's pace. Had the work progressed at the same pace, then even the next decade would have been gone into the project. Today on good governance day, I can proudly say that we have completely changed that work culture of withholding and misleading. This is the reason why the infrastructure of the country has got a fresh boost.
Last year the similar projects that were in limbo such as the Tuitial Hydro power project of Mizoram and the Sikkim Airport were launched. Several such projects have been completed and the work on the rest is progressing at a rapid pace.
Friends,
Today the emphasis is upon the completion of the project within the stipulated time and at the cost fixed. Now the time limit is not just on papers but is now becoming a culture of the government work. I congratulate Sonowal ji's government and his entire team for embracing this culture.
Several projects in Assam that were incomplete for several years, have now been either completed or are on the verge of being completed. The 700km long National Highway at a cost of more than Rs.3000 crores has been completed in four and a half years. The work on more than a dozen National Highway projects worth around Rs.6000 crores is progressing at a rapid pace. Various projects such as that of the Airport terminal, electrification and broadening of the rail lines, Guwahati-Tinsukia gas pipeline, AIIMS at Guwahati and Indian Agriculture Research Institue at Dhemaji have either been completed or are on the verge of being completed. The International Submarine cable, which ensures speedy Internet service has reached Tripura and is about to reach Assam soon enough. Digital services will be strong here as well.
Friends,
I firmly believe that if the Eastern India progresses, the entire India will progress. If the Eastern India strengthens, the entire India will strengthen. The Northeastern India is an inseparable part of the Eastern India. Therefore, Infrastructure is being expanded in the entire Northeast along with Assam. The work of constructing 5500 km long National Highway worth approximately Rs.70000 crores is underway in the entire Northeast of which about 2500km has already been completed. Roads more than 1000 km long are being constructed under the International Connectivity Act East Policy, of which work is already under progress at different levels for road length of 800 km. When it comes to rail connectivity, a target of connecting every state capital of the Northeast India with broad gauge lines has been set for the next 2-3 years. 15 new rail lines are being constructed at a cost of approximately Rs.47000 crores. About 1000 km of rail lines i.e. almost all the rail lines of the Northeast have been changed to broad gauge. Earlier the construction of rail lines or broadening of the tracks used to be for about 100 km every year while in the last four and a half years, lines of 350km are either constructed or turned into broad gauge every year. Moreover, work is underway on 19 waterways. In Assam too, Inland waterways are constructed on Brahmaputra and Barak rivers between Chittagong and Mongla ports.
Brothers and sisters,
Besides infrastructure related schemes, all the schemes that are being implemented by the central government for raising the standard of living of the people, are being expedited by the government of Assam. Consequently, education for children, income for the youth, medicines for the elderly, irrigation for the farmers and addressing the people's grievances are being ensured. Under the Ujjwala Yojana, 24 lakh gas connections have been provided to the poor sisters of Assam. Consequently, in Assam where only 40% households had gas connections till four years ago, the percentage of households having gas connections in Assam has now doubled to about 80%. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, about 32 lakh toilets have been constructed in Assam and within four and a half years, the percentage of cleanliness has increased from 38% to 98%. Under the Saubhagya Yojana, within just one year, more than 12 lakh families of Assam have been provided with free electricity connections as a result of which, the level of electrification in Assam has increased from 50% to about 90%. Also, try to remember the time when the brothers and sisters working in the tea gardens here didn't have bank accounts. However, under the Jan Dhan Yojana, 7 lakh worker brothers and sisters now have bank accounts. And in the entire state of Assam, bank accounts of about 1.5crore people have been opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana. All these schemes are moving towards success due to the work culture and your support and blessings.
Friends,
The most harmful thing for the poor, the oppressed and the deprived classes of the society is corruption. The most burdensome thing for the middle class is corruption. Something that disrupts the country's journey of development is corruption. Corruption snatches away the right of the poor and creates difficulties. Therefore, for the last four to four and a half years, the government is not only trying to ensure that the poor enjoy their rights but also has been fighting against black money and corruption.
Brothers and sisters,
On one hand our government has provided houses to more than 1 crore 25 lakh poor people under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while on the other hand it has confiscated the bungalows and cars worth Rs.5000 crores from the corrupt people under the Benami Property Act. On one hand, our government has eased the registration process by helping the youngsters to register their companies in a day while on the other hand we have struck off 3.25 lakh shell companies that are one of the major causes of corruption. On one hand, our government has provided loans worth Rs.7 lakh crores without bank guarantee to women and youngsters under the MUDRA Yojana while on the other hand, our government has brought back Rs.3 lakh crores out of the lakhs of crores of rupees of the banks that were stuck due to the previous governments. On one hand, the government is providing free treatment of up to five lakh rupees to the poor under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, while on the other hand, it is taking robust steps to end corruption in the medical sector.
Friends,
Four years ago, no one could have imagined that the main accused in the Chopper scam will be in Indian prison. But our government has boldly brought him to India and sent him to judicial custody. This is the modus operandi of our government. This is our work culture.
Brothers and sisters,
When there is transparency in the system, corruption ends, people get all the facilities and their lives become easier, then the impact is visible in every sector. We can see the impact even in our sports. Today the youngsters from ordinary families of Assam, small towns and remote villages throughout the country are now making our country proud. Many daughters like Hima Das and many young friends are today a symbol of New India and a new found self-confidence.
Friends,
We are striving to empower the nation by transforming the system, changing the conduct and with a better infrastructure. Today according to the country's future needs, the work on roads, schools, cities, villages, irrigation and electricity is progressing at a rapid pace. In the coming years, India's grand image will be before the world when these projects are fully completed.
Friends,
We are striving to build a grand and a New India on the foundation that was strengthened by Atal ji in the beginning of the 21st century. Brothers and sisters, the opportunity that the people of the country and the people of Assam have bestowed upon us, our government is trying to accomplish the same with a lot of devotion and determination. We are striving hard not for relationships but for the country and the society. I firmly believe that with your blessings together we can 'ayi akhomi' and we can carry Mother India to greater heights. Once again I congratulate all of you for the wonderful provision like Bogibeel Bridge. I salute you for coming here in such large numbers and showering your blessings.
Thanks a lot!
Put both your hands up and say aloud with all your strength -
Victory to Mother India!
Victory to Mother India!
Victory to Mother India!
Victory to Mother India!
Thanks a lot!